How British Soldiers’ Gear Has Changed Over the Last 1,000 Years

Photographer Thom Atkinson recently set out to document 1,000 years of British military history by capturing soldiers' clothing and gear. Atkinson acquired the assembled gear from various historical societies and enthusiasts, including those engaged in modern-day reenactments, Wired reports.

Spanning from the Battle of Hastings in 1066 and ending in Helmand Province, Afghanistan, in 2013, "Soldiers' Inventories" capture the evolution of war.

For example, Wired points out that at first, battle outfits were brightly colored for hand-to-hand combat. But as weapons became more sophisticated, killing from a distance—while remaining unseen—became the norm, and camouflage became fashionable. The ways that soldiers entertain themselves have changed from rudimentary chess board to playing cards to iPads. Some objects however, remained unchanged and ever-present over time—such as the spoon. As Atkinson told Wired, "The fact that certain objects recur is more fascinating than the ones that evolve."

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About Rachel Nuwer

Rachel Nuwer writes for Smart News and is a contributing writer in science for Smithsonian.com. She is a freelance science writer based in Brooklyn.

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